Memories of Bali

The villa was eerily quiet the next morning. Alexei stood by the balcony, a cigarette between his fingers, staring at the horizon. The faint sound of waves crashing against the shore was a stark contrast to the turmoil brewing inside him.

Hana watched him from the doorway, her heart heavy with conflicting emotions. Last night had been a brutal reminder of the life Alexei lived one she was now deeply entangled in.

"Are you going to talk to me?" she asked softly, stepping closer.

Alexei glanced over his shoulder, his expression unreadable. He took a long drag of his cigarette before putting it out in the ashtray. "What do you want me to say?"

"Anything," Hana replied. "You've been quiet since last night."

Alexei turned to face her fully, his gaze intense. "I'm thinking about how to keep you safe. About how to make sure Ivan or anyone else never gets near you again."

Hana frowned. "You can't control everything, Alexei. You're trying to fight a war on all fronts, and it's consuming you."

He stepped closer, his hands gripping her shoulders gently but firmly. "You don't understand, Hana. This is my world. My enemies aren't just going to disappear. They see you as my weakness, and they'll use you to hurt me."

"I didn't ask to be part of this," she said, her voice trembling.

Alexei's jaw tightened. "You're with me now. That means you're part of everything, whether you like it or not."

***

Later that afternoon, Alexei received a phone call. The ringtone broke the silence, and he answered it immediately, switching to Russian.

«Что ты узнал?» ("What did you find out?")

The voice on the other end responded quickly, their tone urgent.

«Иван собирает людей. Он не отступает.» ("Ivan is gathering men. He's not backing down.")

Alexei's expression darkened. «Где он сейчас?» ("Where is he now?")

«Северный склад. Мы можем ударить первыми.» ("The northern warehouse. We can strike first.")

Alexei paused, his mind calculating. «Следите за ним, но не двигайтесь, пока я не скажу.» ("Keep an eye on him, but don't move until I give the order.")

He ended the call, his hand gripping the phone tightly.

"What was that about?" Hana asked cautiously.

Alexei turned to her, his expression unreadable. "Business."

"Is it Ivan?"

Alexei sighed, running a hand through his hair. "He's regrouping. Trying to retaliate."

Hana felt a pang of fear but masked it with determination. "You can't keep fighting forever, Alexei. This isn't sustainable."

He stepped closer, cupping her face in his hands. "I'll do whatever it takes to protect what's mine. Even if it means burning everything to the ground."

***

By evening, Alexei had called a meeting with his closest associates. Mikhail, along with two other men Viktor and Sergei sat around the dining table, discussing strategy.

"We need to eliminate Ivan's network completely," Mikhail said, tapping a map spread out on the table. "Cut off his supply lines and take out his key players."

Alexei nodded, his focus sharp. "And his funding. Without money, he's powerless."

"What about Hana?" Viktor asked cautiously. "She's his primary target now. Should we move her to a safer location?"

Alexei's gaze snapped to Viktor, his tone ice-cold. "She stays with me. I'm the safest place she can be."

Viktor nodded, not daring to challenge him further.

As the meeting continued, Hana watched from the corner of the room, her stomach twisting. She hated this world the violence, the fear, the endless cycle of revenge. But she couldn't deny the pull Alexei had on her, even if it meant being dragged into the darkness with him.

***

That night, as they lay in bed, Alexei's arms wrapped tightly around her, Hana found herself unable to sleep.

"Alexei?" she whispered.

"Hmm?"

"Do you ever think about leaving all of this behind? Starting over somewhere far away?"

He was silent for a moment before responding. "It's not that simple, Hana. Men like me don't get to walk away."

"But if you could?"

Alexei tightened his hold on her, his voice soft but firm. "If it meant keeping you safe, I'd burn the whole world down and disappear with you."

Hana felt tears sting her eyes. She wanted to believe him, to believe that they could find peace together. But deep down, she knew Alexei's world would always find a way to pull them back in.

For now, all she could do was hold onto him and hope that their love was strong enough to survive the storm.